It’s not a biblical word as such, although it does describe some things in the Bible. It’s an English transliteration of a Hebrew word that refers to the divine presence and particularly associated with a manifestation of the divine presence. For example:
– the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night that led the Israelites through the desert towards the Promised Land.
– the experiences of Moses (and later Ezekiel) on the mountain of God.
– the manifestation of the presence of God that clouded the great Temple of Solomon during its consecration ceremony.
– the vision Ezekiel had of the glory of God leaving the Temple and Jerusalem itself because of the faithlessness of so many of its people.
The word also could be used in reference to other kinds of manifestations of the divine presence. For example,
– the glory of God, sung by the angels, at the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:8-14)
– the prayer of Simeon, the righteous and devout, who took the infant Jesus into his arms in the Temple and blessed God that he lived to see “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Luke 2:32)
– Jesus’ teaching about prayer: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
There are myriad ways for a manifestation of the divine presence in our lives, and rarely are they very dramatic and unmistakable. Most often they escape our attention and are unnoticed.
Remember what St. Paul said to the Athenian intellectuals on the Areopagus about the one God, quoting from their literature: “For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:28)
“In him we live and move and have our being” means that we are radically inseparable from God, whether we know it or realize it or not.
Every time we awaken to a new day is a gift, every good new thought and insight is an inspiration, every act of patient endurance is an empowerment.
Do you really think that of yourself alone you’re so healthy, so smart, so strong, so attractive, so successful, so effective?
Are you frustrated that you pray and sacrifice and that God seems indifferent and doesn’t respond?
In many ways, we’re all like the tired and disillusioned disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were so caught up in themselves and their disappointments that, although the Lord was walking with them, they were blind to his presence.
We’re really good at complaining and asking God why did this happen? why have you done this? why don’t you listen to me?
The manifestations of the presence of God could be crashes of thunder, flashes of lightning, torrents of rain, earthquakes, and other such things—but usually this is more our imagination than God’s action.
You exist! You were born! You still live! You know things! You’ve been to places! You have friends and people who love you!
You, me, we are not alone. Our lives are not a series of random, meaningless advances and setbacks. We’re not wandering aimlessly in a wilderness. We’re travelers en route. We have a destiny and destination.
Maybe you’ve recognized a manifestation of God in your life and maybe you haven’t.
Just because you don’t recognize God walking with you doesn’t mean you’re walking alone.
3 October 2021